![]() In contrast, #5 is a short par-4 where it's safe to be a little reckless with the driver. A bunker short of the turn messes with layup attempts. That's because the fairway turns almost dead right inside 100 yards. The fairway on this 505-yard par-5 (up to 575 from the back tees) is sandwiched between two lines of trees, and making it play even tighter is the fact that any shots right of center are cut off from the green. Thunderbird starts to make some hefty demands with the driver on the fourth tee. The mound on the far side of the trap can make it difficult to stop shots near a back-left pin. A left-side pin hides behind a bunker and the threat of water short and left. Pursuing a right-side pin on its elevated green means flirting with a steep, rough-covered downslope off the side of the surface. The 180-yard third is the toughest par-3 on the course. Play to the left side of the fairway on both the 436-yard opener and the 325-yard second for optimal angles of attack. The first three holes all sport putting surfaces that are more than 40 yards deep. ![]() The course doesn't wait to show off its big greens either. Green depth is large enough in many cases to make a two- to three-club difference, and discovering once it's too late that an 8-iron to the front of the green left you with a twisting 80-footer to a backside pin will have you exasperated while you scramble for a three-putt. It is vital that players take note of the hole locations when setting up for their approach shots. Standing out at Spring Lake are Thunderbird's large, undulating greens. Trees tighten most of Thunderbird's holes and can be a major nuisance for players unable to control their ball flight. (The facility's namesake lake is confined to the Sandpiper Course.) The battle then is mainly with the course's mammoth greens, not only in finding the easiest way to navigate their tiers and turns, but also the best route to reach them. Water plays a limited role on Thunderbird, with small ponds influencing play on only two or three holes. ![]() There is a very natural feel at Spring Lake - my lasting image of both the Thunderbird and the nine-hole Sandpiper is simply their rich green fairways, a testament to the facility's conditioning and maintenance. Tall trees frame and overlook long, lush fairways and enhance the course's serene and secluded atmosphere. It is a par-72 that measures 7,035 yards from the championship tees and 6,445 from the middle blues. The Spring Lake Golf Club's Thunderbird Course is the main attraction at the 27-hole facility in Middle Island, offering a combination of challenging, strategic golf and a pleasant, park-like setting that cannot easily be topped on the Island.
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